Abstract
The invention relates to a method for producing a drink or food item, in which a liquid flows through a capsule and a drink/food item substance is dissolved and/or extracted. The invention also relates to a capsule comprising a capsule body, the outer body and base thereof defining an inner chamber in which a beverage/food item substance is provided. Said beverage/food item substance is dissolved and/or extracted by a liquid which is guided through the capsule.
Claims
1. A method for producing a beverage or foodstuff, the method comprising steps of: flowing a liquid through a capsule that comprises a wall and a bottom so that coffee power or tea leaves is extracted, wherein the wall of the capsule is distorted prior to and during production of the beverage and at the same time the coffee power or tea leaves compressed by a predetermined folding point in the wall being compressed.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises a step of reducing an axial extension of the capsule.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises a step of reducing a radial extension of the capsule at least in portions.
4. A capsule comprising: a capsule body, the capsule body comprising: a wall; and a bottom wherein the wall and the bottom delimit an interior of the capsule body in which coffee powder or tea leaves is provided, wherein the coffee powder or tea leaves is by means of a liquid that is introduced into the capsule, wherein the wall and/or the bottom are provided so as to be compressible, and wherein predetermined folding points are provided in the wall.
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. (canceled)
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined folding points are provided in the wall adjacent a cover foil.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes a step of compressing the wall and/or the bottom with a brewing piston.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the capsule includes a cover foil, and the method includes a step of piercing the cover foil with a piercing mandrel provided on the brewing piston.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes a step of compressing the wall and/or the bottom via moveable segments that are moved towards one another while the capsule located between the moveable segments.
14. The capsule of claim 4, wherein an axial extension of the capsule is reduced.
15. The capsule of claim 4, wherein at least in portions a radial extension of the capsule is reduced in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction that the liquid is introduced into the capsule.
16. The capsule of claim 4, wherein the wall and/or the bottom are provided so as to be compressible so that the coffee power or tea leaves is compressed and redistributed in the capsule.
17. The capsule of claim 4, wherein the predetermined folding points are provided in the wall adjacent a cover foil.
18. The capsule of claim 17, wherein the wall and/or the bottom is compressed via a brewing piston.
19. The capsule of claim 4, wherein the wall and/or the bottom is compressed via moveable segments that are moved towards one another.
20. The capsule of claim 4, wherein the capsule body comprises a filter element so that particles are prevented from being washed out of the capsule.
Description
[0017] The inventions are explained below by way of the figures. Said explanations are simply as an example and do not restrict the general inventive concept.
[0018] FIGS. 1-3 each show an embodiment of the method according to the invention, of the capsule according to the invention and of the system according to the invention.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the system according to the invention which comprises a capsule 1 which consists of a capsule body, for example a capsule body that has been injected or deep-drawn from a plastics material, and a cover, in particular a cover foil, the cover foil preferably being provided, in particular sealed-on, on a flange of the capsule body. In the interior of the capsule, in particular in the capsule body, is situated the beverage substance/foodstuff substance which is traversed and at the same time extracted to produce a beverage or foodstuff. For the traversing, the cover foil is pierced, for example, by a piercing mandrel 28 and then a liquid, in particular hot water, is introduced into the capsule, as a result of which the beverage substance/foodstuff substance is extracted and/or dissolved. Once the beverage substance/foodstuff substance has been traversed by the liquid, the beverage or foodstuff produced In this manner leaves the capsule, for example through the bottom of the capsule. A filter element 4, by way of which particles are prevented from being washed out of the capsule, can be provided in the interior of the capsule body. In addition, the system according to the invention comprises a brewing chamber 25 in which, in the present case, the capsule body is received at least in part. In addition, the system comprises a brewing piston 26 on which are provided here the piercing mandrel 28 and in the present case a sealing ring 27 and which is displaced in the direction of the brewing chamber 25, i.e. to the left here, for producing the beverage. In the right-hand part of FIG. 1, the system is shown in its closed state, in which the brewing piston 26 presses the flange of the capsule 1 against the brewing chamber 25, as a result of which the seals 27 seal the brewing piston against the capsule. At the same time, the piercing mandrel has pierced through the cover foil such that the liquid is able to flow into the capsule. As a comparison between the left-hand and the right-hand part of FIG. 1 shows, the capsule has been reduced from its original axial extension D to the axial extension D during the movement of the brewing piston. i.e. the wall of the capsule has been compressed in the axial direction parallel to the axis of the rotational symmetry of the capsule or parallel to the direction of flow of the liquid. At the same time, the beverage substance/foodstuff substance, which is situated in the capsule, was also compressed, as a result of which, on the one hand, the beverage substance/foodstuff substance can be redistributed inside the capsule and/or the density of the beverage substance/foodstuff substance is Increased by the cavities between the individual particles of the filling material being reduced. As a result, the flow resistance of the filling material of the beverage substance/foodstuff substance increases, which results, for example, in a better distribution of the liquid over the cross section of the capsule and, as a result, in a better extracting and/or dissolving performance of the beverage substance/foodstuff substance. The extraction of the beverage substance/foodstuff substance is improved by the high degree of flow resistance.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the present invention, it being possible to refer at least in part to the statements according to FIG. 1. In the present case, as an alternative to or in addition to compressing the capsule in an axial manner, it is able to be compressed in a radial manner such that the capsule body 3 is reduced from its original radius R (left-hand representation) to the radius R (right-hand representation). This Is effected in the present case by segmenting the brewing chamber, the parts of the brewing chamber which abut in particular against the radial extent of the capsule chamber between the bottom and the flange, being able to be moved toward or away from one another, as a result of which the capsule is pressed together and the beverage substance/foodstuff substance is compacted again. The movement can be a rotation or a linear movement or a combination of the two. The capsule is inserted Into the brewing chamber 25 in this case and the brewing piston is moved to abut against the cover of the capsule. The movable segments/parts are then moved toward one another until either a certain pressure is present and/or the volume has been reduced by a certain proportion. The beverage and/or foodstuff to be produced is then produced by a liquid, in particular hot water, flowing through the capsule. Once the production of the beverage and/or the foodstuff has been finished, the two parts are moved back again into their original position and the capsule can be ejected.
[0021] Yet another embodiment of the system according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3, it being possible essentially to refer to the statements according to FIG. 2. The brewing chamber 25 is also realized in two or multiple parts in the present case, the two parts 25, 25 being provided at a certain spacing with respect to one another, which can be seen in the left-hand representation in FIG. 3. As soon as the capsule has been inserted into the brewing chamber and in particular after the brewing piston has been moved in the direction of the brewing chamber 25 and abuts against the flange of the capsule, the two parts 25, 25 of the capsule are moved toward one another, in this case in a linear manner, as a result of which, once again, the volume of the capsule is reduced and consequently the density and/or the position of the beverage substance/foodstuff substance is changed.
LIST OF REFERENCES
[0022] 1 Capsule
[0023] 2 Cover, cover foil
[0024] 3 Capsule body
[0025] 3 Capsule body pressed together
[0026] 4 Filter element
[0027] 5 Capsule bottom
[0028] 6 Crumple zone
[0029] 9 Capsule wall
[0030] 11 Beverage substance/foodstuff substance
[0031] 11 Compressed beverage substance/foodstuff substance
[0032] 12 Movable segment, part means
[0033] 25 Brewing chamber
[0034] 25 First part of the brewing chamber
[0035] 25 Second part of the brewing chamber
[0036] 28 Brewing piston
[0037] 27 Sealing ring on the brewing piston
[0038] 28 Piercing mandrel
[0039] D Axial extension of the capsule
[0040] D Shortened axial extension of the capsule
[0041] R Radial extension of the capsule
[0042] R Reduced radial extension
